Metal-tubing machine.



A. IVIURF & S. BECK.

METAL TUBING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I, 1916.

LQIQQ FAZWQ Patented May 22,1917.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR$ AIM/71g A. MURF & S. BECK.

METAL TUBING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1. I916.

LQWAQQ. Patented May 22, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. llllll illillll if:

A. MURF & S. BECK.

METAL TUBING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT..I,1916.

Patented May 22, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I IIIIII II INVENTORS drzwwziiizrf 6Q WITNESS ANDREW MURF AND STEFAN BECK, 0F ETNA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL-TUBING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 191W.

. Application filed September 1, 1916. Serial No. 118,106.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW MURF and STEFAN BECK, subjects of the Emperor of Austria, residing at Etna, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metal-Tubing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of tubes or pipes.

The tubes or pipes leave the welding rolls at relatively high temperature and in some cases practically at a white heat.

In order to preserve the tubular form of the pipes it is advisable to feed them from the welding rolls onto a mandrel and this mandrel not infrequently accumulates heat from the pipes to such an extent as to cause it to be susceptible to bending upon slight longitudinal pressure, in which event the mandrel rod becomes unfit for further use until it is straightened or repaired. In many instances the mandrel is so badly damaged that a ne one must be substituted.

It is the purpose of the invention to provide an improved means for feeding the mandrel up to and away from the welding rolls and further to provide means whereby the mandrel and its rod may be malntained at a relatively low temperature to reduce the liability of the bending of the rod during the tube or pipe forming operation.

It is also the object of the invention to provide means for effecting a sensitive adjustment for the initial application of the mandrel and also to provide means whereby there will be a resilient connection between the mandrel operating mechanism and the power which drives it.

It is also the purpose of the invention to provide means for conveniently moving the rod into position and retracting it from the tube after the tubular forming operation has been completed.

Other objects of the invention will be referred to hereinafter it being understood that changes in form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resortedto without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1, is a plan view of a portion of a tube forming machine to which the invention is applied, parts being broken away to,

shorten the view.

Fig. 2, is a side elevational view.

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional view through the mandrel feeding carriage and the operating mechanism thereon.

Fig. 4, is a rear end view of the carriage and the operating mechanism.

Fig. 5, is a sectional view through a resilient connection between a gear in the transmission and the driven element.

Fig. 6, is a sectional view at right angles to the sectional view shown in Fig. 5, showing the bolt connection'between the ring and flexible connection.

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the bolt connection between the ring and the disk on a shaft on which the gearis loosely mounted.

Fig. 8, is an end view of a rod cooling device and carriage fastening mechanism.

Fig. 9, is a sectional view through the same.

Fig. 10, is an enlarged view showing the detail of an adjustable rod support.

Fig. 11, is a horizontal sectional view through the top of the rod cooling device.

Fig. 12, is a detail view of a wrench for raising and lowering the rod support, and,

Fig. 13, is a detail perspective view of a lockfor the rod support adjusting device.

Fig. 14 is a longitudinalsectional view of the mandrel head.

Fig. 15 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 16 is a detail view of the upper por tion of the standard 56.

As illustrative of the invention 1 have shown two traction rails 1' and 2 suitably supported; for example a plate 3 is provided. This support may consist of a commercially rolled metal sheet. Between the rails 1 and 2, are intermediate rails and these rails are illustrated as consisting of I-beams 4 and 5, the upper outer flanges of which are adapted to engage pairs of rollers 6 and 7 depending from pairs of supports 8 and 9 on the carriage 10, said carriage being provided with traction wheels 11 on the axle 12 and similar wheels 13 on the axle 14c. The carriage 10 is adapted to be shifted longitudinally over the rails 1 and 2 to feed the mandrel to the position where a it is initially received in the tube and said carriage may be adapted to release the mandrel from the tube. The carriage is best shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 and if desired it may be driven by a motor 15 provided with a pinion 16 meshing with a gear 17 on a shaft 18 provided with a pinion 19 which in turn meshes with a driven gear 20 on the axle l2. 4

The motor 15 may be of any approved construction and is preferably reversible sothat the carriage may be shifted in either direction on the rails 1 and 2 during which time any liability of the carriage .being raised from the tracks will be overcome by the rollers 6 and 7, which engage the upper outer flanges of the I-beams 4 and Mounted upon the carriage in suitable bearings 21 and 22 is amandrel holder 23 adapted to receive the mandrel rod within a central bore 24 and hold it against relative movement by means of aclutch 25. The rear end of the holder 23 is threaded and receives a threaded disk 27 provided with latch engaging notches 28. Said disk being adjustable upon the threaded portion 26 and adapted to be held against rotative movement by one or more latches 29 pivotally-secured to the disk 30 in fixed relation to the holder 23 and adapted to engage the notches 28.v

The disk 31 is spaced from but in connection with said disk 28 by the connecting bars 32 and said disk 31 is provided with holders 33 whereby the disk 31, bars 32,and'

disk 28 will be turned upon the threaded portion" 26 of the mandrel holder. The disk 31 also carries a socket or tubular member 34 within the central bore 24 of the holder 32 and it is adapted to receive one end of the mandrel rod 35. It will thus be seen that any movement imparted to the disk 31 will impart a longitudinal movement to the rod 35 thereby moving the mandrel head toward or away from-the tube issuing from the welding rolls.

In order that the rod 35 will respond to movement of the socket the rod is fastened into the mandrel by means of a screw or pin 36. The holder 23 is provided with a gear 37 rigid thereon which meshes with the pinion 38 on a stub shaft 39. On the stub shaft 39 is a fixed disk 40 provided with a recess 41 in which is a ring 42 threaded through eye-bolts 43 rigid with the gear 44 and through I-bolts 45 rigid with the disk 40. Eye-bolts 40 and 45 alternate and interposed betweenthem are springs 46'on the ring 42 so that a slight 'rotative movement will be imparted to the gear 44 with respect to the disk 40 so that a flexible connection between the disk 40 and the gear 44 is provided. The gear 44 meshes with a pinion 47 on a motor 48 carried by the carriage 10. The object of providing the f exible connecmemes tion in the transmission is to reduce the liability of breaking in the event that the mandrel head 49 on th, rod 35 becomes frozen to the tube. This is lilable to happen when the tube is hot. The head on the mandrel is provided with a central opening 50 (see Figs. 11, 14 and 15) to receive the reduced end 51, and said head is provided with serrations or teeth 52 to engage the end of the soft rod 35 with enough bite to cause the head to rotate when the rod rotates. The head is removable, as dif-. ferent sizes of heads will be used on the same rod to accommodate the diflerent diameters of tubes or pipes.

The feed may be any suitable length determined by the length of the pipes to be made but we have shown parts broken away to shortenthe view and at one end of the feed is a buffer 53 which may be of any preferred construction so it is not necessary to elaborate on the particular form thereof.

Between the I-beams 4 and 5 is a slide 54 of considerable length and provided with pairs 55 and 560i wheels which engage the inner sides of the flanges of the I-beams whereby said slide will be prevented from having vertical movement imparted thereto. At one end of the slide 54 is a standard or up-ri ht 56 carrying a vertical adjustable roll 5 on which the rod 55 may rest and at the other end of the slide 54 is a hook 58 adapted to be engaged by the axle 14 so that when the carriage moves toward the buffer or away from the tube the hook will be engaged by the axle 14 and consequently the standard 56 will be moved along so as to keep it at all times midway between the carriage and the cooling device 59 through which'the rod passes. The cooling device 59 is in actual practice midway between the bufl'er 53 and the welding rolls 60. These posite sides thereof. Each gate is provided with an opening in which is a washer, 68, the openlng of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the rod 35. The washers are to prevent leakage of the cooling fluid. The gates 66 and 67 may be adjusted vertically by the adjusting screws 70 and 71 which pass through the top 7 2 of the cooling chamber and engage said gates. Different size washers may be employed for difl'erent sized rods and as difl'erent sized rods will be employed we have constructed a vertical 1,227,,aea

adjustable rod support 73 having a roll 74 thereon and provided with threaded extensions 76 and 77 which project through the top 72 of the cooling chamber and which will engage the sprocket nuts 78 and 79 and around which passes a sprocket chain 80.

The nuts are formed with openings 81 and 82 respectively whereby the prongs 83 and 84 of the wrench 85 will be inserted in either of the nuts to rotate them so that the rod support 73 will be adjusted vertically. When the proper adjustment is made 'the wrench will be removed and the locking device 86 will have its prongs 87 and 88 en-' gage with'the openings in opposite nuts and a central prong 89 passesthrough an opening in the top 72 whereby the nuts will be prevented from accidental turning. Of course if different sized rods are employed the supports 73 and the gate 66 and 67 must be adjustedverticallyto bring the rod in axial alinement with the welding .rolls, Therefore it is necessary that the rod support 90 carriedby the frame 91 on the cooling device can be adjusted vertically and receive the arrow head 99 on the carriage 10.

When the parts are properly assembled and the end of the tube or pipe projects through the welding rolls 60, the carriage 10 is moved up to the cooling device so that the arrow head 99 is received in the opening 98 at which time the supporting handle 100 of the disk 92 is in its lowermost position to bring the sit-t 98 in a vertical position to receive the head 99. When the carrlage is in this position the mandrel will be adjacent to the protruding end of the tube. In order that a correct adjustment of the head with relation to the pipe will be made the locking lever 29 will be released from the notches in the disk 27 and the disk 31 will be rotated through the medium of the handles 33 so that the disk 38 will be screwed into the threaded end of the rod holder. When the head is in the proper position the tube is fed over the mandrel head toward the cooling device and the carriage cannot recede because it has been locked to the cooling device by shifting the handle 100 upward in the position shown in Fig. 8 so that the slot 98 is turned at right angles to the flat side of the arrow head 99.

When the tube has been fed its entire length over the head the power will be shut ofl' from the motor 4.8 and the handle 100 will be lower so that the arrow head may disengage from the disk and power may then be applied to the motor 15, to move the carriage toward the butter 53. As the carriage moves toward the buffer 53 the axle 14 will pick up the hook 58 and carry the slide 54 along with it so that the standard 56 will also move toward the buffer and in such relation that the supporting roll 57 will at all times be substantially midway between the carriage and the cooling device. As the rod 35 is carried rearwardly by the carriage to withdraw it from the tube it will pass throu h the cooling bath in the cooling chamber 0? the cooling device and as there is a constant flow of water in the cooling device it follows that the heat accumulated in the rod will become dissipated by the water. The tube is then removed and the carriage will be at its initial position again so that the head and the mandrel are adjusted to keep the head end rotating, and the cycle of operation is repeated.

It will be apparent that the entire length of the rod passes through the bath when the carriage is receding toward the butter and again when the mandrel head is being fed into-engagement with the tube. Therefore the mandrel will be relatively cool at the beginning of each tube-forming operation and the liability of its buckling will be prevented;

What we claim is 1. In a tube-forming machine, the combination with the welding rolls, a mandrel in axial alinement with the tube opening between the welding rolls, a carrier for said mandrel, means for imparting movement to said carrier toward and away from the welding rolls after the mandrel has traveled a predetermined distance in a forward and rearward direction, a carriage for the mandrel and means forlocking said mandrel against longitudinal movement with relation to the carriage.

2. In a tube-forming machine, the combination with the welding rolls, a mandrel in' axial alinement with the tube opening between the welding rolls, a carrier for said mandrel, means for imparting movement to said carrier toward and away from the welding rolls, and means for passing a cooling fluid into direct contact with the mandrel.

3. In a tube-forming machine, the combination with the welding rolls, of a cooling-liquid container in line with the welding rolls, a mandrel movable toward and away from the welding rolls, and passing through the liquid container and means for operating said mandrel. 4. In a tube-forming machine, the combination with the welding rolls, of a cooling chamber in line with the welding rolls,

a truck movable toward and away from the cooling chamber, a mandrel carried by the truck and passing through the cooling chamber, said mandrel being in longitudinal alinement with the welding rolls and means for locking said truck with relation to the welding rolls.

5. In a tube-forming machine the com bination with the welding rolls, of a mandrel carrier, a mandrel in said carrier, a truck on said carrier on which is mounted a sliding mandrel support and means on the truck for engagingsaid sliding support to impart movement thereto co-incident with the movement of the truck.

6. A mandrel holder comprising a receiving tube, a socket member having threaded connection with said tube, and adapted to receive a mandrel, means for adjusting the socket member with relation to the tube and means for rotating said tube.

7. A mandrel holder comprising a receiving tube, a socket member having threaded connection with said tube, and adapted to receive a mandrel, means for adjusting the socket member with relation to the tube, and means for rotating said tube, said means comprising gearing, one member of which is yieldingly connected to the other.

8. In a tube-forming machine, a truck, a rotatable mandrel holder on the truck, a

socket member having threaded connection' with said holder, means for lockingsaid socket member against rotation with respect to the holder and means for rotating theholder.

9. In a tube-forming machine the combination with a truck of a rotatable mandrel holder on the truck, a mandrel clamping device at one end of the holder a socket member at the other end of the holder to receive the mandrel, said socket having threaded connection with the holder and means for preventing relative rotative movedrel, tube-welding aaavaea holder.

10. In a tube-forming machine the combination with the welding rolls, of a mandrel cooling chamber alining therewith, means for reciprocating the mandrel through the coolingchamber, a mandrel supporting rod in the cooling chamber and means for raising and lowering said roller.

11. In a tube-forming machlne the combination with the welding rolls, of a mandrel cooling chamber in line with the welding means, a mandrel holder in line with the cooling chamber, means for rotating said mandrel holder, means for imparting longitudinal movement to said holder and means for locking said holder against longitudinal movement.

12. In a tube-forming machine a mandrel holder, a truck therefor provided with traction wheels, rails on which wheels are mounted, said rails having lateral flanges and rollers carried by the truck and engaging the under side of said flanges.

13. In a tube-forming machine the combination with welding rolls, of a mandrel cooling chamber in line therewith, alining openings in the walls of said chamber an longitudinally sliding gates for closing said openings, said gates being provided with receiving holes.

14. In a tube'forming machine, a manrolls, a mandrel holder, means for rotatlng the mandrel holder, means for feeding the mandrel toward and away from the welding rolls, an arrow head on said means a rotating .disk support lining with the arrow head and having an elongated slot for receiving said arrow head and means for rotating said disk.

In testimony whereof we afiix our sig natures.

ANDREW MURF. STEFAN BECK. 

